


Claws and Desire

by TabbySeraph



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: (but no sex), Biting, Blood, F/M, Minor Injuries, POV Higurashi Kagome, POV InuYasha, POV Multiple, POV Second Person, Sex Pollen, Trope Subversion, allusions to rape/non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:21:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24833014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TabbySeraph/pseuds/TabbySeraph
Summary: An unexpected affliction, close contact, and a night of missing memories
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Kudos: 25





	1. Kagome POV

The walk back to the village is quite peaceful, an afternoon of clear skies and gentle breezes. You wish you could have spent more time at the travelling market nearby, but as another loud snort sounds off beside you, you sigh and resign yourself to walking Inuyasha back, hoping that Sango or Miroku might bring you back a trinket or two once they finish browsing around.

"What, you got a problem? You all were the ones who decided to go to such a lousy market." Inuyasha sniffs, aggressively rubbing at his nose. "You should have stayed back with the others if all you're gonna do is complain."

"Do I need to remind you how you walked directly into a wall because you were so distracted by the scent?"

He scoffs, but doesn't try to deny it. "Your shitty sense of smell was just doing you a favor, not clouding up your head with that shit." He rapidly shakes his head and snorts, as if trying to force something out.

You move on ahead as his steps falter, his head-shaking throwing him off balance momentarily. You sigh again. _At this rate, he'll be grumpy until tomorrow. I wonder if there's any other smell that could distract from the current one._ Suddenly his breath is on your neck, setting off goosebumps as you jump forwards and spin around to face him. "Inuyasha!—" You pause at the lack of reaction, observing his blank stare beyond you. He blinks a few times, shaking his head again as you put your hands on your hips, waiting.

"Ugh, the stink isn't even coming off you. Whatever bastard was burning that incense got it stuck in my head!"

You take in a breath, but he's started walking on ahead, paying no mind to your irritation.

\---

"Come on, stop shaking your head like that, you're going to make yourself dizzy at this rate."

"Back off! This is already enough to deal with without your whining. I can do what I want."

You give a short huff and look off to the side. _He says that, but he's already got a slight wobble in his step._ At least you're almost back to the village.

\---

As the house comes into sight, it almost feels too soon. The walk had become rather pleasant after Inuyasha stopped complaining. A nice time with him silently walking by your side, close enough that you think you could feel his body heat. You almost jolt slightly as that warmth gains pressure, feeling his arm on yours as he gently leans against you. Slowing to a still in front of the house, you hook your arm into his, glancing down at the ground. It can be rough to figure out how to avoid breaking these sorts of moments, with how easily either of you can start a bout of bickering.

You startle out of your brief deliberation as you feel him lean heavier against you, glancing up at his face. His eyes are lidded and glazed over, face lax but slightly flushed. "Inuyasha?" you ask quietly.

"Huh?" he mumbles and turns to you, an edge of confusion crossing his face as he blinks several times, attempting to focus on you.

Concerned by his hazy demeanor, you raise a hand up to rest on his forehead. _Definitely too warm,_ you conclude as he closes his eyes and rests his head against your hand. "Come on, let's go inside," giving a little tug to get him moving. "How long have you been feeling sick?"

"m'not sick," he mumbles as you encourage him to sit down. "s'just warm." _If only he wasn't so stubborn about dealing with things on his own. If I'd known about this before we got back to the village, I could have made a quick detour to get some herbs that might help._ His eyes have slipped mostly closed, and you watch as he starts to sway slightly.

 _He seems fairly out of it..._ "I'll go grab some medicine. Just rest here for a bit." You gently try to help him lie down, but he props himself up slightly and reaches out to grip the fabric of your sleeve. His lips wordlessly shift for a moment and an indiscernible expression flits across his face.

Curious, you stay silent for a few moments, checking whether or not he really has anything to say. He's just looking through you, unmoving. As you slip your sleeve out of his loosened grip, his eyes end up following the movement.

"Stay." It was quiet, but you're pretty sure you heard that right. He's looking right at you now, as if waiting for an answer. As he begins to slump, you scoot closer, taking hold of his raised hand. He lets out a quiet sigh, seemingly content with this, and you rest your other hand against his forehead again. _At least it's not a high fever._ His eyes flutter closed. _Rest is probably the best help for this sickness anyways. It wouldn't hurt to stay with him for a bit._

Brushing his bangs back, you feel your heart skip as you look down at his peaceful expression. _Is he asleep already?_ His breathing slows, face unchanging as you run a hand along one of his ears. A little wry smile finds its place on your own face. _Pushing himself so hard to seem tough... We so rarely get to have moments like these. Sucks that it took getting sick for him to wind down enough._ You let your thoughts wander, just watching him rest, up until the sound of the curtain shifting startles you out of the moment.

"Kagome?" Sango stands in the doorway, shifting awkwardly and carrying a small bundle. 

Gently lying Inuyasha's arm back down, ignoring the quiet grunt he lets out, you turn and scoot closer to the doorway as Sango sits down beside you. "Sorry about leaving early, he really couldn't handle that smell at all." A slight pout crosses your face. "It might have gotten him sick too, or at least he didn't notice his sickness until he was already weak."

"No, it's okay." She glances over her shoulder at Inuyasha, before turning back to you. "It's better that the exposure was reduced, especially since it seems to have hit him fairly strong already." She holds up the bundle. "I have some herbs that should at least prevent his body temperature from rising too high."

 _She brought some medicine, even though she was back at the market when this started? And she mentioned exposure..._ "Does it actually have something to do with that smell he mentioned? Are Shippo and Kirara fine?" Inuyasha groans behind you, a quick look over your shoulder revealing his face is scrunched in discomfort. "Is he going to be okay? He seems to just be getting worse..."

"Don't worry about those two, they're fine. The type of incense that was being used doesn't affect many youkai, and those two didn't feel like the smell was cloying like Inuyasha did." She glances at you briefly, quickly dropping her gaze down to her lap. "As for Inuyasha..."

You stiffen at her hesitancy, worry clouding your senses. You don't notice any sound of movement behind you until a hand is already grasping at your arm, a tug pulling down on your sleeve and shifting your arm slightly backwards. Before you can even react, a sharp pain stabs through the junction of your neck and shoulder and you yelp, screwing your eyes shit and gritting your teeth. The pain rapidly fades as you blink away tears, processing the scene— Warmth and wetness against your shoulder. A hand clinging to your arm. Heavy breathing by your ear. Silver hair fills one side of your vision.

"Ka— Kagome, are you okay!?" Sango is on her knees in front of you, hands partly outstretched as if she doesn't know what to do with them.

You blink— that had been a shock to your system and you are still kinda processing it, but nothing particularly seems wrong at the moment. "Yeah, I'm fine, but what was—?" A slight shift produces a tug on your shoulder, and suddenly the pieces click together— Inuyasha bit you. And is still biting you, panting heavily through his nose. You begin to lift one of your hands, pausing for a moment before placing it on his head, speaking in an incredulous whisper. "Inuyasha?" Petting slightly, you feel one of his ears flick across the side of your face as his jaw relaxes. With a quiet whine, he pushes himself closer to you, only to be prevented by the position with his lower jaw pressing against your shoulder.

"Are you really sure you're okay? That sounded pretty bad..."

You glance back at Sango, allowing your hand to drift down, finding a resting place atop Inuyasha's on your arm. "Yeah, it's fine; it doesn't even hurt now. Maybe the surprise just made it seem worse at first?" You absentmindedly rub your thumb against the back of his hand. _I don't see how that would make it hurt_ that _badly though..._

Sango gives you a little look of disbelief, eyes flicking back to your shoulder as she starts to stand up. "Well, I'll get some bandages to help stop the bleeding."

 _Bleeding?_ You feel Inuyasha's lips pull back, and there's a growing sensation of tugging against the skin of your shoulder, then a wet _pop_ — His head raises and warmth slowly trickles down your skin, more noticeable as his own warmth pulls away from the spot. You wince— some of his claws poke at your arm, his grip tightening as he scoots closer behind you, but that fades quickly as well. You press your fingertips against the wetness, somewhat surprised to find that they are coated in blood as you hold your hand up in front of you. Inuyasha seems to pause in his slow process of curling his body close to you, chest close to your back and a thigh against your hip.

A quiet mumble of "sorry" falls from his lips and he dips his head back down to your shoulder, licking at the wound. It's... soothing, surprisingly, and his grip on your arm loosens as he turns his focus to the task. You don't even notice your eyes sliding shut, until the feel of his arm snaking around your waist draws your attention back to the situation. The heat of his body is warming your back and hip, being held close as his tongue trails across your skin—

Sango clears her throat beside you.

You startle, blushing, and Inuyasha grunts as your shoulder bumps into his face.

A quirk to her brow, Sango gazes at you for a brief moment before speaking. "Seems like you're having a good time, but we really should bandage that wound." You nod at the request, bashful, quickly trying to shift away from Inuyasha a bit, only to receive a quiet growl and his arm tightening across your waist. His head drops against the back of your neck, nose slightly nuzzling between your shoulders. _He's not gonna let go, is he..._

With a bit of mildly-flustered coaxing, you manage to shift around in his arms and get him to lie down on your lap. As Sango moves your collar to the side for better access to the bite, you ponder the situation, and the way the wound doesn't sting even as she dabs up the blood. "Is it really that bad? It barely feels like anything is different."

Sango presses slightly harder as you wait for a response, seeming to consider something. "Some youkai with weaker venom don't use it to directly incapacitate their targets, instead being capable of simply dulling pain to obscure when they have the upper hand. Doesn't his brother have potent venom? Inuyasha might have inherited some venom as well, just a numbing variant."

 _That'd explain why the pain went away so easily,_ you consider, Sango briefly putting a hand to your forehead as if checking your temperature, then seeming satisfied with the results as she goes back to shuffling through the medical supplies. _But, he's never mentioned such a thing at all._ For a moment you almost argue against it, but quickly change your mind. "Maybe that is the case. I can't imagine him wanting to use that sort of strategy in battle anyways."

You glance down at him, rubbing the back of his shoulder, and hear Sango chuckle. "I would bet that he doesn't even know. Just imagining him attacking with it, I can practically see him getting frustrated at the lack of pained responses, thinking his attacks aren't effective. He probably trained himself out of using it, without realizing what was going on in the first place."

You feel the edge of a gentle smile forming, thinking about his brash passion in battle, determined to be the best in his own way. But, currently, he's still breathing heavier than normal, limp against you. _Why did he latch onto me with a bite?_ "Hey, Sango... do you know what's going on with him? Why is he acting like this?" One of her hands twitches slightly against your shoulder, but she stays silent as she finishes applying the bandage.

"It's described as impairing the functions of youkai by, well..." Her hands still, one falling away as the other rests on your shoulder. A flutter of worry rises in your chest at the hesitance, and a glance over your shoulder reveals her looking away, face somewhat obscured by the growing shadows as the day fades.

"Sango? What is it? Is it hurting him?"

She responds with a slight shake of the head. _Is it just a trick of the lighting, or are her cheeks a bit flushed?_ "No, it's not that, don't worry. Youkai afflicted by it are said to recover just fine." She gives you a furtive glance as she turns back, eyes darting away the moment they meet yours. "It's said to make some youkai _needy_. There's nothing more specific listed about its effects, but some assumptions can be made about what that means."

A moment of silence, then you flush, stuttering out nothings as you try to deny it. "Uh, well, he hasn't tried anything—"

Sango gives you a look, then moves her gaze down to him on your lap, an arm still slung around your waist.

"Yeah okay he's being uncharacteristically clingy, and acting a bit odd, but," your voice briefly cracks, "not _that._ " You can't help but look at the events a bit differently now though. **_A warm grip around your waist, his nose trailing along the back of your neck, lips on your shoulder—_**

You pinch the bridge of your nose, trying to clear your mind as Sango goes to set up the firepit. Letting your hand run down your face, you consider the situation. _He's behaving like this, but, he really hasn't tried to do anything more, has he?_ Inuyasha whines again and you place your hand on his head, thumb running along the back of an ear. _He does seem like he's sick though, and the severity seems to keep fluctuating. He probably shouldn't be left alone._

"Here," Sango holds up a small cup, "this should help keep his temperature down a bit, so he doesn't get quite as uncomfortable in that regard. Do you think you can get him to drink?"

Inuyasha doesn't seem to want to let go, but you eventually coax him to sit up with some tugging at his shoulders. "Inuyasha, did you hear that? This will help." His nose crinkles as the cup is held in front of him, making no move towards it. He scowls as it's held up to his lips, but seems to understand, drinking the whole thing in one go before lying down with a huff, facing away.

"So." Sango says, waiting for you to look back at her. "What do you want to do?"

You open your mouth, but you don't have anything to say. Or, rather, you're not sure what your answer might be taken as.

"I know you intend to stay with him, to make sure he's okay." She's giving you a kind smile, and you relax, looking down at your intertwined fingers. "I know the level of effects are uncertain, but I'm sure you can tell that he's going to be clingy either way." You reach out and place a hand on his side, watching as his shoulders immediately start to loosen. "I was giving you a chance to ask for help in some manner, just in case. But, you would feel more comfortable without anyone watching, right?"

You give a small nod. She seems satisfied with that, from the sound of her walking to the doorway. You look over to her as she shifts the curtain to the side, and she looks back to you as well.

"I had told the others to stay out of this house until I got back, and I'll update that so nobody will come by until one of you comes around tomorrow. Just come get me if you need help or are uncertain, okay?"

You nod again, and the curtain swishes shut.

\---

He hasn't moved for a while now, almost enough to make you think he's asleep despite his subtle reactions to each touch. There's an odd pang as you keep watch over him, firelight settling across his body, his back still facing you as you sit here with him. You sigh and let your hands fall away. _What's up with me? This is a good result, right? Like he's just sleeping through a typical sickness._ You bite your lip, cutting off the direction your thoughts want to head. _My nerves must still be a bit frayed from earlier._

 _There's no point in getting caught up in thoughts._ Shifting in preparation to get up and stretch, you notice a glint and look back to Inuyasha, finding him peering at you from the corner of an eye. Letting out a light huff as you look away, you disregard his sudden attention. _He doesn't really need me here anyways._ "Just try to get some sleep, you'll feel better later." You begin to stand, but almost get tugged right back down by a grip on your wrist.

Inuyasha is holding on to you. Looking at you with a gaze that's not quite pleading, but still seems to be asking something. Rolling onto his back, his head turns slightly and his mouth begins a semblance of forming words, but it's just a brief movement without anything being spoken.

As you slowly sit back down, his grip falls away, and he shakily pushes himself up. "Jeez, don't force yourself..." you hurriedly mutter as you see his eyes glaze over for a moment, putting a hand up to his forehead. _No fever; good._ As you start to drop your hand, he places his own hand over yours, letting out a sigh as he ends up holding your hand to his cheek. He slowly rubs his cheek against it and lets his eyes slip closed, lips brushing across the edge of your palm.

His own hand slowly falls away as he focuses on your touch. You reach your hand further, fingers trailing and rubbing across his scalp and behind his ear. He lets out a quiet noise in the back of his throat and your breath hitches, observing him as his eyes crack open and hold you with a steady gaze.

He leans forwards onto his hands, almost a crawl before he lets himself fall forwards, cheek landing against your chest. His hands go to your sides, holding on and pulling himself closer, claws giving more brief bites of pain that settle your mind. Rubbing your hand along his back, you feel a rumble within his chest, and his hands relax their grip as you continue.

Looking down at him resting against you spurs a twinge of nostalgia. You move your hand up and gently feel one of his ears. _Last time like this, he was in human form. Asking to rest on my lap, complimenting my smell..._ You pause, some pieces of thought clicking together. _Sure, he was injured at the time, but he has still done the same sort of thing before, without this... influence. Is he seeking me out because, he wants to?_ You know that the incense is getting to his head, you know that he probably isn't thinking straight, but, do you _really_ know it's only that?

His arms wrap around your back, a loose grip leaving his hands sliding down, claws catching and skipping across fabric. The thought that he might be seeking you out specifically...

You flinch as some claws poke through the fabric, biting at your skin. _He didn't make a single move towards Sango while she was here, he just reached for me. He even apologized for the bite. Inuyasha..._ You place a hand against his head, carding your fingers through his hair, and he sighs, further relaxing at your touch. You just soak in the moment, petting him as he begins to slowly slide down.

He's finally getting a proper bit of rest. Slowly shimmying backwards, you gently shift him off you. It almost looks like there was never an issue, only visible in the way he's splayed out on the floor. You give him a final squeeze on the shoulder before getting up. _I really should grab some water and simple foods. Inuyasha is definitely going to want something when he wakes up._

\---

_I'm glad I took that break; I didn't notice how stiff my legs had been getting._ It had been quick to take care of your own business along the way, snacking on some dried meat as you walked along your path. _Inuyasha had been sleeping so peacefully when I got up, hopefully he's still doing fine in there._

Shifting the curtain aside, you find that he hasn't moved much at all since you left. He seems like he's still asleep, but you notice his ragged breathing as you set down your supplies. Kneeling down and rolling him onto his back, it's visible that he's flushed and starting to sweat. You quickly produce a damp, cool cloth using the water you brought in, and begin dabbing at his forehead. The tension in his body fades as you continue, though his breathing still seems a bit heavy.

Setting the rag off to the side, you pause as you notice something— There's a tent in his pants. Gingerly kneeling beside him, looking down at your own hands balled in your lap, you're not even quite sure what to think. You startle out of your reprieve as one of his arms shifts and brushes against your knee. Glancing at his face, his eyes are still closed, but his brow is furrowed again.

You set a hand on his chest, a strong heartbeat hammering under your palm. Eyes following your hand as you slowly trail it down, you can feel his muscles tensing as you pass along his stomach. Settling below his belly, you pause. _He... wants touch, right?_ You absentmindedly trace circles with your fingers. _But, does he want_ this _? Do_ I _want this, like this?_

He sighs and you nearly jump out of your skin, snatching your hand away. Looking over, you see him blink at you with a dazed look. _How long was he awake?!_ You focus on calming your breathing, trying to shove certain aspects of the situation to the back of your mind, for now.

"Inuyasha?" He tilts his head towards you more, but doesn't respond otherwise. "Can you tell me how you're feeling right now?" He blinks, then his face scrunches up slightly, seeming to have a rough time understanding. Giving him a moment, he huffs slightly without his expression changing, and you raise your hand to his cheek. "Are you okay?" you prompt again, and he leans into your hand, face relaxing. _I guess that works._

As his eyes flutter closed, your thumb gently stroking, you consider his peaceful expression, his slightly-parted lips as your thumb almost grazes them. Blushing, you start to pull back, and his brows knit together as he huffs, in annoyance this time.

Reaching out to your still-raised hand, his claws dig into the back of your forearm under his clumsy grip, providing little stabs of pain. _I really wish he'd stop doing that, even though it's a brief discomfort._ Your expression gains a pout, and his head tilts slightly as he gazes back at you.

He lets go to raise that hand towards your face and you lean back slightly, wincing in preparation. His movement falters as he processes the changes in position, but he continues, rolling and sitting up as he follows your movement. You feel a light tap of wetness — drops of blood on his claws — but no pain, the backs of his fingers gently running across your cheek. Delicately tracing along the shell of your ear and jaw, particularly cautious of his claws as he touches, considering you with lidded eyes.

Scooting closer, he lets his hand trail down along the side of your neck as he seems to breathe in deeply through his nose. And he leans in close, lips lightly brushing across yours, a brief pass that feels like it lingers forever. He drops his forehead to rest on your shoulder, and you feel a tense shiver run across his body. Running your hands up his back, you hold him lightly and rest your head against him in turn. He relaxes at the response, sighing against you. The hand on your neck slides down, your pulse skipping as it trails across your chest, but it continues downward and wraps around your side, holding on and pulling you closer by your waist.

Which is something your position doesn't permit, your hands flying back to catch yourself before you topple backwards entirely, resting down on your elbows. Inuyasha shifts, crotch brushing against your now-raised knee, making your heart jump into your throat yet again. He leans over you, and you quash your thoughts as you process that you don't feel anything hard down there anymore. He lets out a small whimper, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Lie down?" you accentuate with a light tug at his collar. He nods in approval, shifting slightly to the side as you lie back, but he still rests partially on top of you. Nuzzling into your collarbone, he places an arm along your side to hold on to you, and you raise a hand to card through his hair and down his back. He seems to have fully relaxed now, and is breathing more lightly. With him soothed, lying comfortably in eachother's arms, it seems like as good a time as any to sleep...


	2. Inuyasha POV

Through your eyelids, the sun assaults your eyes, and you roll over with a grunt. Well, there goes your... Sleep? Nap? _When the hell did that happen?_ Cracking your eyes open, you observe the familiar room. How did you get back here? Last you remember was that market, walking back with that annoying smell stuck in your head. At least you don't feel it grasping at your lungs anymore, you aren't stuck with that smell of—

Blood.

Blood, you're surrounded by the smell of blood, _Kagome's_ blood. You're immediately wide awake, jumping to your feet and scanning the room in a panic. _Where's the smell from, where is she!_ You slow as you realize you can't find the scent's location in the room around you, tongue flicking out against your dry lips. _There!—_ You freeze. Your mouth?

Your own mouth is full of the scent and taste of her blood, half-dried amidst your parched state. _How—_ Checking yourself over, you smell strongly of her, her blood on your claws as well. You set your jaw, barely avoiding grinding your teeth as you stare down at your claws, as if they'd reveal the truth.

Trying to remember, only indistinguishable scraps of being close to her flit through your mind. Then you jolt, teeth tingling as you recall the feeling of teeth sinking into flesh. _Did I, lose control?_ You can't help but grind your teeth, staring at your flexing hand as your mind races.

You tamp down your thoughts with the knowledge that there wasn't any, _evidence_ lying around the room, that whatever happened wasn't severe enough to leave things behind. Peeking out the curtain, you see villagers going about their days in the fields. _Nothing enough to startle the villagers, either._ You slowly step out, sniffing to see if you can catch a scent of Kagome, wherever she went, seeking a hint about her location that's stronger than the scents trying to take over your thoughts.

You don't even notice Sango until she's right beside you. "Back to normal, huh?"

Your skin prickles and you square up to her, considering her accusation that tugs at the worries in your mind. You deflate quickly though; she's standing there like usual, as casual as if nothing happened at all. Your hand twitches. "Is Kagome okay?" You pick at the blood under your claws.

Sango pauses and considers you for a moment, quirking a brow as she glances down at your hands. "I left you two alone for the night, but she seemed fine when I saw her pass by earlier." You look around, again trying to see if you can catch a stronger whiff of her smell, but Sango draws your attention back. "Inuyasha, go back inside." Your brow furrows. "She will be back to check on you, and I'm sure she would rather not find you wandering around beforehand." She pushes at your shoulder to get you to spin around, then gives you a pat on the back. "Go on, she'll probably be back soon anyways."

You huff and cross your arms. But that is probably more reliable than using your sense of smell at the moment.

\---

Kagome is taking too long. It's probably not been very long, but that's still too long anyways. You don't like just sitting around like this.

At least some of her smell is here— all over you. And an oddly strong degree of it, now that you think about it. Picking at the fabric of your clothes, you rest a hand on your chest. Nearly choking on your own spit, you remember— _What was that?_ The feeling of a hand trailing across your chest and stomach, tingling as it moves lower— You freeze up, halfway between flustered and... you don't know. Your stomach twists slightly. But you shake your head, trying to clear your thoughts. Don't bother with whatever that is. You're busy... waiting. Fuck.

\---

You've been bouncing your leg, waiting. When Kagome _finally_ enters the room, you glare at her. "What took you so damn long." She frowns at you, but says nothing as she steps closer and puts a hand to your forehead. Your leg stops, surprised at the sudden touch. She nods to herself and turns to set something off to the side — _Clothes?_ — sighing as she looks back to you.

"So, back to the usual?" She sits down beside you.

 _What's all this about? Why that question again?_ You glance off to the side, avoiding looking at her, picking at the grooves of the wood flooring with the tips of your claws. A moment of silence. You can feel her gaze burning into you. Opening your mouth, you're about to ask what had happened last night—

"Jeez, you even tore up my clothes a fair bit, and now you won't even talk?"

 _What?_ As you try to figure out what she's talking about, your grip against the wood increases. Suddenly, you're assaulted with a memory of a faceful of her smell, hands trailing along her body as your claws catch against fabric. You set your jaw as heat starts rising to your face, dryness as you swallow. "Kagome—" But your voice breaks before you can get anything out, followed by a brief cough at the irritation in your throat.

You hear shuffling and a gentle sigh from your side. "Here, have some water." After a moment of glancing at her, holding a cup out to you, you turn to take it. Your eyes catch on some food set between and slightly behind you, stomach loudly growling at the smell, and you snatch the cup, skin buzzing where it briefly brushes against her fingers. You didn't realize how hungry you were, gulping down some water as you reach out, getting some much-needed moisture before popping a handful of nuts into your mouth.

"Not even a 'thank you'?"

"Keh, it's not like you did anything more than just point it out."

"Inuyasha." She glares at you. "I specifically brought this in here because I knew you hadn't eaten for a while and didn't know when you'd wake up."

You look away from the glare with a huff. How were you supposed to know that? Absentmindedly picking flakes of blood from your claws, you almost forget about the situation until Kagome shifts to grab a bit for herself. _Is that a bandage on her shoulder?_ Biting off a piece of dried meat, you consider the blood remaining on your claws.

You eat for a bit in an unpleasant silence, scattered thoughts running through your mind. You don't notice that you've been sitting there unmoving, until her voice breaks through your thoughts. "Are you nauseous? I hadn't considered the potential of any lingering effects, there wasn't much information on—"

"Sorry," you mumble, still looking down. You'd hurt her, hadn't you? There were still a lot of questions, but that much was clear.

She leans forward to get a better look at you, and you catch her eyes. She's waiting for you to continue.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Do you not remember?" You wince slightly at the response. _I never should've let such a thing happen._ Her blood has been mostly rinsed out of your mouth now, but it's almost like you can taste if fresh again. When you feel a touch on your arm, you pull away.

"Aren't you worried I'll hurt you again? Losing control of myself, or whatever." Your claws dig into your palms.

"Inuyasha." She coaxes you to turn towards her. "Do you remember that bad smell at the market?" You nod. "Remember how it felt like the smell wouldn't let go, even after we left? It turns out that you were exposed to an incense that... had certain effects." She takes a deep breath — _Is that a light blush?_ — and continues. "You were fairly out of it, I don't blame you for being clumsy with your claws. It was a nice night anyways."

She's looked off to the side, but that doesn't hide the clear blush rising on her cheeks. You still don't remember much. She looks nice like this, but the way your skin is crawling is at the forefront of your mind. You don't like this, and you don't like that you don't like this, that you don't understand this feeling. There is one unknown that you can find the answer to though.

"Did we fuck?" A silent moment passes, soon filled with rapid stuttering and—

"SIT!"

There's that familiar tug, pushing you forwards to get a faceful of floor. You're surprised at the relief you feel, lying there as you hear her flustered denials overhead. You shudder, tension unwinding, and you focus on taking deep breaths.

Sound fades off into silence, broken by the quiet noise of her sitting back at your side. You feel a patch of warmth above your back for a few moments, hovering, then pulling away. "... Are you okay?"

You take a moment, then push yourself up with a dignified huff, looking away as you settle back into a sitting position.

Quietly, she poses a question in return. "Did you want to?"

Your ears involuntarily perk up. You feel heat in your face, trying to think, nice scenes flitting across your mind's eye— but unpleasantness keeps clawing its way back into the edges of your thoughts, hazy vision and movements that don't quite feel like yours, airs of uncertainty and moments that seem to push ahead without your input. You're worrying your lip, eventually snapping out of your thoughts when you hear her shift beside you.

You shake your head harshly, trying to dispel your thoughts. You don't have an answer, and you don't want to think of that right now. But...

You lean to your side, shoulder pressing against hers, feeling the tension in her pose as you avoid her eyes. "Thank you," you grumble. She seems to unwind, tension fading as she leans against you in turn. You huff as you feel one of her hands rest over yours, but you make no objections, just soaking in the moment.

"So," your curiosity still remains, "what _did_ happen last night?" Her fingers twitch. "I woke up to your blood in my mouth and on my claws, with vague memories of being very close to you. Care to explain?"

She chuckles quietly, hand wrapping around yours. "That basically sums up the night." You quirk a brow, glancing at her. "You were very clingy once we got back, but not so mindful of your claws and fangs." _My fangs, too?_ "Got plenty of punctures from your attempts to grab me and hold on to me. It took me a while to pick up on, but you'd get upset, or, well, _uncomfortable_ , if I wasn't constantly touching you." There's a blush rising on her cheeks again. She lets out another chuckle, and looks up at you with a little grin. "You even bit me once!"

 _I guess that explains how blood got in my mouth._ Your tongue traces your teeth, flicks out against your lips— _Lips?_ You flush and turn away, a memory nagging at your mind.  
 ** _She winces as she leans back. ... You lean in closer, feel her lips brushing yours..._**  
 _!?_ "Tha— That bite must have hurt."

She pauses, then starts speaking rapidly. "No it's fine! Well, it did hurt, but it seems like you have numbing venom so nothing was really a _problem_ per se, so don't worry!" You mentally kick yourself. _Great, now she's worried._ ... Throw in another kick for not seriously considering that pain at first, having used the prompt to avoid a different issue.

With your free hand, you pick at the grooves in the flooring again, barely suppressing a nervous shudder. "Did I do anything you didn't want?" A pause. "Besides the clawing and biting."

"No." You cautiously glance back to her, being met with a clear-eyed gaze and cheeks dusted pink. She rests her head down against your shoulder, and you feel the tension fade from your body. With a gentle sigh, you curl your fingers around her hand in return. You store that little fragment of memory away in your mind, tucked in alongside other comforts, among moments like these that stir a warmth in your chest.

_This. This is what I wanted._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is essentially my first attempt at actively making/tagging a story, feel free to suggest to me if some tags seem unnecessary or lacking


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